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By Joe Marconi
The mild fall appears to have caused a slow down for many shops. We have seen this before. But, winter tempertures are here, and the threat of snow will boost repair shops.
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By Mail Shark
Before approving your next database mailing, run down this checklist to ensure all of these steps have been taken to validate the quality and accuracy of your mailing.
Utilize the National Change of Address Service (NCOA)
Every year, millions of Americans move, and this undoubtedly includes some of the customers in your database. This can be a problem when you pull your database to use for sending out a direct mail campaign, as you may have customers that have moved and no longer live at the recorded address.
If these customers have moved outside of your trade area, and you were to send a direct mail piece to them, you would essentially be wasting your marketing dollars by sending direct mail to customers that are simply no longer there.
The good news is, there is a simple solution. You can have your direct mail partner run your database against the USPS National Change of Address (NCOA) service. The cost of doing so is very minimal and worth the small additional cost to ensure the quality and accuracy of your database.
NCOA is a database maintained by the U.S. Postal Service, and includes all of the individuals and companies who have completed a form to change their address in the previous four years.
Here are a few things you will find out by running your list through the NCOA process is:
Addressee has moved, and a new address could not be provided. New address information is provided. The recipient moved without providing a forwarding address to the USPS. From here, these previous customers that have moved can easily be removed from future mailings.
Remove Your Customers From New Acquisition Mailings
Most shop owners who are using direct mail to target their database of current customers are also sending out new customer acquisition mailers to target new prospects, either by carrier route or by specific make, model, fuel type, etc.
In doing so, it’s important that you request your direct mail partner to remove these current customers from your new customer acquisition mailers. It’s a waste of money to send your customers a new customer acquisition mailer when you are already targeting them by sending them a retention or lapsed customer mailer. It will also send your current/lapsed customers the wrong message. Your marketing and message to new customers should not be the same that it is to current or lapsed customers.
This is also an easy fix, simply request that your direct mail partner suppress your customer database from your new customer acquisition mailers. The only caveat in doing so, is for general auto shops that are removing their database of customers from their carrier route mailing—there are guidelines that must be met for carrier route mailings in order to receive the maximum discounted postage rate. These guidelines are as follows:
Your mail must be sorted in walk sequence. This is the exact order that the postal carrier walks/drives on their carrier routes. In addition, your mailing must follow the 90/75 rule. The 90/75 rule stipulates that you must mail to at least 90 percent of the total residential addresses, or at least 75 percent of the total combined number of residential and business addresses in each carrier route. Since you, as an auto shop owner will never want to mail to businesses, this means that you must mail to 90 percent of the total addresses in a carrier route to maintain the lowest postage rate.
If your mailer falls below the 90 percent guideline, there are three different levels of postage that your mailer can potentially fall into. Each level represents an additional cost of per piece postage above and beyond the standard rates.
Additional Saturation Mail Postage Rates (*As of 1/1/2019)
High density plus: Mail at least 300 pieces in walk sequence order (additional postage would be .01 per piece).
High density: Mail at least 125 pieces in walk sequence order (additional postage would be.019 per piece).
Basic: Mail at least 10 pieces in walk sequence order (additional postage would be .104 per piece).
Make Use of the Coding Accuracy Support System (CASS)
In addition to running your database through the NCOA process, it’s important to ensure your direct mail partner is also certifying your database mailing list through the Coding Accuracy Support System (CASS). This process will standardize your mailing file, verify that each and every address in your mailing file is valid and complete, as well as update any addresses that have been changed and/or has become outdated.
Josh Davis
Mail Shark
Executive Vice President of Sales
Direct: 484-948-1611
Email: [email protected]
www.themailshark.com/AutoDirectMail
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By JustTheBest
USA Today article (Friday September 27, 2019 by Nathan Borney - USA Today) shows that “the average age of cars and light trucks on U.S. roads reached an all time high of 11.8 years in 2018.”
The article goes on to claim... “By 2023, there will be about 84 million vehicles on the road that are at least 16 years old, reflecting a 240% increase from 35 million in 2002, according to IHS.”
Are you getting your share?
There’s only 90 days left in 2019 and the market is changing. Sorry, it HAS changed. Are you ready? Do you have your plans laid out for marketing your shop in 2020?
Auto Service Marketing - Fix Your Car Count FAST!
Hope this helps!
Matthew
"The Car Count FIxer"
P.S.: Join me on YouTube at Car Count Hackers! FREE Help to grow your Car Count, Income and Profit!
P.P.S.: Like and Follow Car Count Hackers on Facebook
P.P.P.S.: Have you registered in my FREE Training? "How to Double Your Car Count in 89 Days"
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By insomniac
Iv noticed over the years there are times when business/car count drops off by a huge amount all at once. Last year it was brutal in January and got worse in February. It got busier the 2nd week of March and was pretty steady the rest of the year with my best month ever in November then even topped that in December. But this year its back to the same. January came leads completely dropped out, February came and it got worse, just like last year. Now I know its just a waiting game and business will pick back up. Its not just me every shop in the area is completely empty. --- What triggers these pattern down turns? Has anyone ever figured that out? Thought?
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By HarrytheCarGeek
Labor rate from $115 to $150 car count down 1/3 revenue up 6%.
Going on the third month that we raised our rates. Our best customers have stayed, trouble nickle and dime customers seem to have disappeared. ARO from 380 to 628.
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Similar Tagged Content
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By JustTheBest
Hi!
This week, I had a chance to review recent results with a private client (aka Car Count Hacker . You may find this surprising, specially when you find out the size of the shop.
I detail it all in this video.
You can see the entire video here. I welcome your comments or questions.
I welcome your comments or questions.
Hope this helps!
Matthew
"The Car Count FIxer"
P.S.: Join me on YouTube at Car Count Hackers! FREE Help to grow your Car Count, Income and Profit!
P.P.S.: Like and Follow Car Count Hackers on Facebook
P.P.P.S.: Have you registered in my FREE Training? "How to Double Your Car Count in 89 Days"
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By JustTheBest
How can it be true that an independent auto repair shop almost doubles the price of their oil change service without raising their shop rates, parts pricing or adding any more costs? I know, sounds crazy, but we've done it. I am releasing the information shortly - but this short video explains it all.
There isn't anything to buy - no sneaky sales pitch - nothing. It's just about how we used a new tactic to present our oil change prices. All the details are being released next week - so you'll want to subscribe (that's FREE TOO!) so you won't miss a thing!
Hope this helps!
Matthew Lee
"The Car Count Fixer"
Join the Conversation on YouTube at Car Count Hackers!
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By JustTheBest
I'll show you 6 Ways to Get More Customers in 6 Days or Less
… and I’ll show you how we do it Without Crazy Coupons, Discounts or Money Sucking Advertising
Join me this week on this training webinar and you’ll discover….
The exact steps we take to get more customers. This is NOT about telling you what to do - I'll show you everything, step-by-step so you're never left guessing. Exclusive "behind-the-scenes" look at exactly how we do it. I'll even pull the curtain back and show you everything! Never done before - LIVE Interactive on the webinar that let's you experience everything! In less than an hour, you'll see everything, I'll show you everything step-by-step and you'll experience it all too! It's about the business that supports you and your family - isn't it worth an hour of your time?
Matthew Lee
"The Car Count Fixer"
P.S.: Join me on this training webinar this week! FixYourCarCount.com
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By Ron Ipach
It's finally time for you to enjoy less stress and take more time off, all while putting more money in your pockets.
Would you like to know how? After helping over 6567 repair shop owners achieve the shop of their dreams, I've put together my most anticipated Webinar yet:
What The Top Auto Repair Shop Owners Know That You Don’t:
How a Small Minority Are Pocketing Six-Figure Incomes
I'm Interested - Sign Me Up! Need More Incentive?
On This Free Online Training Webinar, You’re Going To Discover:
The 4-step business model that’s been quietly converting struggling shop owners into multiple $100,000+ per year earners, while enjoying their businesses more than they ever have before… How making a few important shifts in your business RIGHT NOW will protect you from being swallowed up by the massive changes coming in the industry… Why most advertising efforts by shops today are a total waste of money…and where you should be focusing all of your efforts right now to attract the best high-quality customers to your shop… A simple process for converting those annoying price shoppers into paying customers…and selling your services at higher prices than your competitors… And much, much, more! Don't waste any more time, take the steps to change your life, and better your business!
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
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By Ron Ipach
Dear Shop Owner,
Ron Ipach (a.k.a. Captain Car Count) would like to finally share with you his proven 4-step process that he's secretly been teaching to his private auto repair shop clients for the past 21 years, that’ll practically guarantee 2018 to be a blow-out success for you.
It’s January and that means the new year has kicked off in a big way. Even though we're only a few weeks in, hopefully you’re well on your way to having another fantastic year.
Now, as an Auto Repair Shop Owner, it’s time to start thinking about how to make 2018 an EVEN BETTER year than last. (Heck, let’s go ahead and plan on making it your best year ever! Right?)
Ipach, often referred to as the industry's expert when it comes to Car Count, is now accepting registrants to...
NEW WEBINAR ANNOUNCEMENT
MAKE 2018 YOUR BEST YEAR EVER:
1. Magnetically attract more (and even better!) customers to your shop
2. Easily sell your services at higher prices than your competitors
3. Increase your take-home pay by 30%, 50%, or more
4. Find, hire, and keep that elusive tech you’ve been searching for
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